Thermostatic valve unit



oct. 4, 1932. w. K. SMPSON 1,881,246

THERMOSTATIC VALVE UNIT Filed sept. 19, 1928 @4MM @y i p. ture-level. 1-

y PatentedY oef. 4, 1932Y 'f 1j 'Squad-Es vP xjlfliNI'f OFFICE. f

p .wILLIAM 1:. SIMPSON," jon fwn'rnnnun,

ILLINOIS Thepr'esent invention relates tothermostatic `valves, traps, and the like, and its ob- ?ject isv t provide a self contained uniti com-"kv pri'sing 'a .valve seat,valve, and thermostatic l element, all` assembledand associated in a unitary .struct-ure which' may be marketed yand installed in the casing ofa trap or valve as aunit, and the yelements of which are organized'to sustain all the "thrusts and 4vreac- Llq tions of the thermostat.Vv The invention comprises essentially a valve seatfiitting, having means for securing it in place or being so constructed that itmay'be readily so secured, 'a'valve complemental to the seat portion of '15, said fitting, a thermostat arranged to actuate the. valve, and a support for said thermostat-connected to the valve seat fitting so that the thrusts and reactions of thevalve and thermostat are sustained by the itting. An

lo embodiment of the principles of the inventioninone of its numerous possible forms is shown for illustration in the accompany- Y ingdrawing and described in detail in the following specification.

-2li q In Vthe drawing,-

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a steam trap having my novel thermostatic valve unit applied thereto; n f f Fig.,v 2 is a sectional view ofthe thermoafabstatic lvalve unit by itself, removed from the 'trap body;

Y Fig', Sis a perspective view of the thermol static valve unit.

't i YLike reference Vcharacters designate the va5 same parts wherever they occur in all the figures; f f f A1 a represents the casingof a-'steam trap having an inlet in the side at VI), an outlet in "the bottomrat c, andy a-fremovable cap or cover d for its open upper end. This represents and typifies any trap or valve struc- ,g ture adapted rtor contain -a thermostatically ycontrolled valve and to be used in anyV situation which calls for-the discharge of a fluid at' onek temperature level, ras `water yof ycon- -densationor air, and` the ,retention of another fluid, as steam, ata ldifferent tempera- A e represents I afvalve seat fitting having al 5o'th'rea,dedlnipplef which vis screwed into 1 ooNNEcrIcr-IT, A'ssIGNoR To HFFMAN r Y SPECIALTY coNr'ANY, OFWATERBURY, ycoNNEcrrIoi-.r'ig yr1 conPonnTroN or A. THERMOSTATIC vALvn UNIT v 'i {nppncation medseptember 19, 192s. serial No. 306,912. l

tapped upper end of the outlet passage, a

bore g opening to said passage and having a'valve seat k at its upper end, and a flange i, which is preferably' formed externally of hexagonal outline, or other non-circular shape, so that the fitting can bescrewed into the casing. f p Y A thermostat support y' is secured to the flange part of the valve seat fitting. Conveniently this support is a cage or frame of cup-like form` having a wall-7c at one end and being open at the opposite end. The open end isset into a recess in the upper side of the valve seat fitting and is secured therein by making a threaded joint therewith, Vby solder, by both screw threadsy and solder, orby `any other suitable means. The sides of this frame are interrupted-or otherwise formed with openings to permit passage of the fluid yto be dischargedfrom the trap, as well yas to admit access to the thermostat of the fluid to be' restrained. z A thermostat Z, comprisinga series of shallow boxes or drums having flexible diaphragms for end walls, and connected to one another in series with internal communication between-them, is contained within the cage or holder y'. One end of'the thermostat is provided with a stem 0 which passesv through the end wall f; of the holder and is secured by ainut p. The opposite end of the thermostat carries a valve r in position to cooperate'with the valve seat it. Y

l The thermostat here shown illustratively is one of atype containing volatile liquid stat'here illustrated, for Vthe purposes lof this invention, and so: also are thermostats of other types, whether influenced by volatile fluid or by expansion and contraction of metal, or by unequal expansion and contraction ofdiffer- 1 ent metals connected side by yside to one anioo estk

other.` Slo 'also is the specific natureY of the holder for the thermostat immaterial in the Y broad view. ofv this invention, forsupporting means of different forms and structures .may

VVbe usedvvith therinostats of different types,

proportions andVY capacities. y. y 1 The new stepof 'myl invention,` broadly 'con-y sidered, does not reside in an improvement the thermostat nitself or in the supporting "meansj,therefor,V butin the combination ofV thermostat an'dfsupporting means With-'a valvelsea-t fitting in such fashion that the `iitd Yting entirelysupports the thermostat holder'l l is Vagainst its seat.` .NoeXternal abutmentis needed v for thethermost'atholder', and, the

andsustains the reactionof theforces applied vby the thermostat'.Y "However, from thev 'f more,v specicpoint of.vieW it includes all' novel features ofthe' particular. embodiment of such combination herein illustrated, It is plain from the disclesur'e herein that a rigid connection is provided] between fthe thermo stat holder' j and-thevalve seat, fitting, Whereby the latter supports the thermostat and. 'also sustainsy the vv thrust vvhich the latter `exerts Whenexpanding and when pressing thevalve trap body performs no; function inthat ref l gard eXceptgas it supports vthe valvefi'tting itself. But Whether in or out ofthe trap cas.-

ing the thermostaticvalverunit is self' contained., and the'valveryvill be. opened and Vclosedvvlien exposed to the temperatures at which it is .designed` to beA opened and closed,

respectively, jcLThS unit is likewise apablof being ShPPGd-'JQCUSQIlDerS as aselfrcontained ment, and to beplaced and secured as such in any trap casing orf body to which itis fitted by' [virtue of its `dimensions. unitl em-Y bodying essentiallythis combination V,adapted to ithe'samerurposes and. USGS iS. Wthinfthe scope of n iy.v invention. and of c the, vpilotection y Y yvhich Ij claim, even thoughin the character@ istics of its constituentfmembers,and their relation to' one VYanother, it may'vary much l rigid tie members by'which thesaidabu'tment is connected Vto Vthe valvefseat iitting :and is maintained at a lined distance from, the .valye seat.;4 i, VThe valve seat fitting vis V'likevvise the base ofthe unit, constituting the support for i ll-ofthefparts thereof u Units of he character describedniay be L -mountedfin traps of many various; designs and f v several'-paifts'of theunit maybeinade of ,Y Y any materials suitablefor'the purpose;

types adapted forovfarious purposes and zuses,

` n What Iifclainiandldesi'V tols cure by Let fter'Satentlisz LA the'rmo'statievalye unit comprisinga* Y" base havingfascreW-threaded nipple 'adapted y,

to be screwedinto'the outlet of altrapr casing and having also a. passageway yvv-itl'i a sur-` rounding Valve seat, a thermostat holder se# cured-to said base and having an abutment portion, an expansiblevthermostat 'secured toV saidv abutment portionvvithin saidliolder, and

a valve'carried bysaid thermostat'adj acent to said valve seat and adapted tof be moved against and awayfrom the same byv expansion rand contraction,l respectively, offtlie thermo- 217A thcrmOStatic valve uniti:dadaptedl for] use ina steamti'ap comprising a. base'having a threadedhipplejfor mounting in the' coinplementally threaded outlet "passage of ,the trap casing, said basehavingfapassage. eX- tending ,through said nipple-and :a valvelseat continuously f surrounding saidlpassage and facing away fr ornthe .outlet end ofthe pasl sage, a thermostat. holder securedto the base at the side thereofoppositeto'the nipple and having an abutmentat itsfend reniot'effrom thebase,` a thernmrstatK erpansible higher andV Contractble byflewee temperatures ,Secured to said abutment bett/'een the latter and the base, and a valvelcoinplemental Ato said -valve seat secured tothe thermostatadjacent tothe seat and arrangedto .be closed byheX- pansionof the thermostat and opened by conf traction of the thermostatf@ i 3. In arsteani trapottlie-.typefhaving a casing with inlet and outlet passages-and a detachable cover r over -thedopen end opposite to t thegoutletV passage, a thermostatic l valve uniti of vdimensions'suitable forV entrance through siichopen end Vw'vlien'the coveris re- Vmoved andY for being contained in the'casL `,Wit-li vthe fcover applied; said unit .coniprising a' base having a nipple adapted to be mounted substantially steam`tight in the outletpas'sage andhavingiii itself a through passage including an ,en ciiclingg` continuous Lvalve seat", a thermostat.supportv ofyopenmlfor mation to admit steam secured at money Yend t0 Vsalllls@ and mllldlllg a" tianrsfssnd Wallv at ya distance 'from the base, an expansible andI contractible A.volatile iiuid tliegbrmostat v secured to saidikendfwall in-:alinementfyvith said passage, anda Y valve cooperative VWith said valve seat secured 'to'A the QendfofVY the Ytheyrmestat nearestl thereto (and located Yin such relation to saidr seatithat it is. closedagainst the Vsameby expansion `.of the thermostat unjder tlietemperatureof livesteani and 'i'svvitli drawn from theseat byrontrac'tion 'of .ithe

thermostatunder atemperature s omevvliat steam. f" 4 il( In a trapvrhavingfarcas'ing:provided with `lower 'than thef condensingtemperatureof inletgand-'outlet passages andan' open `side t provided Y. With aY 4detachable cover v"opposite Y to'oneof. saidpassages,athermostatic valve t Vunitp'of dimensions suitable for *en-trance through the op en v'side when f' the)KV clover jisIe-A ino'ved-- and forbeingr contained ingthe/fcasbase and nipple having a through passage including an encircling valve seat, supporti f ing means joined to said base in a normally permanent and non-removablemanner, a thermostat secured to said supporting means, and a valve body secured to said thermostat, adjacent to said valve seat in position to'be closed against said seat and Withdrawn therefrom by thermally-produced opposite actions of the thermostat; i Y l 5. In a ltrap having inlet and outlet passages, a self contained thermostatic valve unit comprising a baseV having coupling moans for connectionvvith the trap casing in one of the passages, and constituting the sole coupling therefor, saidl base having a passage opening into the said lpassage of the casing,A

a thermostat-mounted on the nase in exposure tothe fluid Within the casing, and a `valve seo cured to the thermostat inposition for closing and opening the passage in the said base with thermally-induced movements of vthe thermostat. Y f n 6. A thermostatic valve unit comprising a base having a central passage, anippie extending from one side surrounding said passage and adapted to be inserted and secured within the outlet passageof a trap casing, an open l f by the yiiuid in the trap casing in which the Y *vinto and out otclosing relationship with the y cage or trame secured to said base and projecting therefrom to the opposite side from said nipple, an expansible and contract-ible thermostat secured to the cage and accessible unit is to be placed, and a valve carried by the thermostat in position to be moved byexpansion and contraction of the thermostat y'passage in the base.

y7. rEhe combination Wit-ha steam trap cas- `.ing having a lateralinlet, an outlet passage in its bottom, an open top, andan imperforate l cover removably applicable to its open top andv adapted to close the same steam tight; yof a self containedthermostatic valve unit has a passageway anda valve seat, a thermostat-connected to Vsaid thermostat abutment v and a valve connected to the v thermostat in alinement with said valve seat arranged to open-and close against thelatter Withccontraction and expansion respectively of the "thermostat, and means for holding the thermostatic unit so that its passage registers Vvvith the outlet passage of the casing, comprising alnipple Which protrudes from said base kpassage in the bottom, and an inlet passage;

of a thermostatic valve unit comprising a valve member and a thermostat connected together, and a cage enclosing them having separated, rigidly connected abutments, to one of which the thermostat is secured, the other abutment being a base having a steam passage in alinement With the valve member, and a nipple surrounding said passage and iitted for detachable insertion into the outlet passage of the trap casing; said unit being inseparable from the trap bottom when the cover is in place'. l

9. The combination with a steam trap casing having a. bottom, surrounding side Walls and a removable steam tight cover constitutlng the top Wall, and having also an outlet passage in its bottom and an inlet passage; of a selt' contained thermostatic valve unit contained inl said casing and being removable therefrom through the opening provided by removal of said cover, said unit comprising a thermostat, a valve connected thereto, a thermostat abutment, and a base rigidly connected to said abutment and having a valve seat cooperating With said valve, and means for retaining' said unit against displacement by steam pressure, said cover being constructed to prevent access to the unit of other forces or means tending to displace it.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- WILLIAM 1r. srMPsoN.

nature.

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